Typographical composing machine



Aug. 2, 1932. A. w. F. GUEST 69, 0

TYPOGRAPHI CAL COMPOS ING MACHINE Filed July 3.1950" 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 z71% 2 fiws Aug 2, 1932,

A. W. F. GUEST TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR Patented Aug; 2, 1932 UNITED FSTATES PATENToFFICE ALFRED w. F. GUEST, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'roERe-ENTHAL R LINOTYPE COMPANY, a CORPORATION on NEW YORK I TYPOGRAPHICAL,GOMPOSING MACHIN Application filed .Tuly 3, 1930 Serial No. 465,518.

This invention relates to typographical composing machines, such aslmotype mawhich produce the type characters thereon,

and the matrices thereafter returned through distributing mechanism tothe magazine from which they started. 1

In these machines, the matrices, as they are released from the magazine,descend by gravity through achanneled raceway and fall onto the upperstretch of an inclined conveyor belt which delivers them, one afteranother, to a chute or throat wherebythey are directed into'theassembler or assembling elevator; As the matrices enter the assembler,they are stacked side by side in line, under the influence of a rapidlyrotatingv star wheel, against an upstanding finger or line resistantsecured to one end of the yielding assembler slide. v

To insure the proper composition of the matrices, it is important'thatthey be maintained under positive control as they enter the assembler.For this reason, the lower end of the chutespring, which constitutes theupper wall of the assembler chute, is arranged to prevent upwarddisplacement of the mat rices as they enter the assembler, and theopposite side walls of the assembler are spaced apart at a distancecorresponding to. the width of the matrices so as to prevent theiredgewise displacement after theyv enter the assembler, the latter alsobeing provided with means to hold the matrices upright therein and fromfalling back against the star wheel or into the path of succeedingmatrices. However, the arrangement of the parts is such that each matrixenters the assembler foot-first at an inclination and, unlessinterrupted by the star wheel, strikes with considerable force againstthe exposed side face of the matrix last composed in the zone whichcontains the matrix cavities or characters.-

As a result of this impact, which is particularly severe inthe case ofthe thicker heavier matrices, the thin side walls of the matrixcharacters are frequently crushed or damaged after a relatively shortperiod of use, and the matrices thus mutilated have to.

be discarded.

The present invention is mtended to ob viate this and otherdifiicultiesand in a manner which involves littleor no change in thegeneral structure of the assembler or other. parts of the assemblingmechanism. To this end, specifically, it is proposed to displace oroffset the assembler bodily rearward at its receiving end with respectto the line of clelivery of the matrices, so that the character sidewalls of matrices already composed in line will stand out of the path ofmatrices that follow, and to provide means at the entrance'of theassembler for deflecting the in-f divid'ual' matrices edgewiserearwardly as they are delivered thereto so as to direct them into thestraight parallel-sided composing channel.

In the accompanyingdrawings, the invention has been shown merely inpreferred form and by way of example, but obviously many changes andvariations maybe made therein and in its mode of application which willstillbe. comprised within its spirit. It should, therefore, beunderstood that the invention is not limited to any specific form orembodiment, except in so far as such limitations are specified in theclaims.

Referring to the drawings:

' Figure 1 is a front elevation of the as sembling mechanism, having thepresent improvements embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly 1n section, of theparts shown in Fig. 1; l

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of' the receiving'end of theimproved assembler; and

Fig. 4 is an edge view of an ordinary twoletter linotype" matrix v i lhematricesX, when released from their storage magazine (not shown), passdown: wardly through a. channeled raceway and onto a constantly driveninclined belt A (Fig.

, 1) which latterdischargesthem one after anto follow the fixed lowercurved side wall 7 B by the yielding upper wall or chute spring B TheassemblerC is slidably mounted for vertical movement in fixed guides orgibs O secured to the front plate and ar ranged to engage tongues 0formed at the rear side of the assembler C and at-the oppos'ite'endsthereof. After composition of the line, the assembler-is raised to carrythe line up between the depending fingers (not shown) of a line deliveryslide, which thereupon shifts the line horizontally from the assemblerthrough the intermediate channel to the casting mechanism. 7

The assembled C, as will be noted (Fig. 2) presents a straight,parallel-sided channel C wherein the matrices are composed in line andwhich is constituted generally by the front and rear side wallsC Crespectively,

and the longitudinally extending rails C upon which the matrices aresupported by their lower projecting ears m Matrices in the courseofcomposition undergo considerable agitation by the action of thestarwheel E as. they pass from the chute B, and in order to cope with thiscondition, the lower end of thefchute spring B is provided withhorizontal deflecting surfaces B adapted to prevent the matrices frombeing thrown upwardly'and. outwardly over theline. Th'e parallel sidewalls C C ofthe-assembler channel G overlap the star wheel E and henceguide the matrices by their oppoiste' edges and support them inuprightposition after they enter the line. The tendency of the matrixlast assembled to fall back toward the star wheel, where it would likelyinter fere with the next succeeding'matrix,is over come by the use ofpawls C C resiliently mounted at the receiving end of the channel C uponthe opposite side walls C C .These pawls cooperate with the individualmatrices in the customaryway andare in tended to snap in behind theupper projecting ears 00 thereof as the matrices are'pushed ahead by thestar wheel E. f V

So far as described, thepartatheirconstruction and mode of operation,except'as hereinafter pointed out, are or'maybethe same as thoseembodied in the commercial linotype machine, and in themselvesconstitute no part of the present invention.

Ordinarily, the assembler C is mounted in the gibs O 0 so that thecenter line of In passing projectingears m of the matrices.-

intermediate channel F In carrying out the present invention, however,the assembler channel C as will also be noted from Fig.-

2, is displaced rearwardly with respect to the center line aa so as tolocate the rear side wall Ciat the receiving. end of the channel inoffset relation to the rear wall of the chute B. This offset relation ofthe parts is accomplished by recessing or reducing the height ofthefinished surface 0 of the front plate 0 to which'the right guide or gibO -(Figs.v l and 2) is secured, the other gib 0 being preferablyundisturbed so that the customary relation between the opposite end orexit of the channel C and the intermediate channel F may be'retained.The assembler C will thus stand at a slight rearward inclination to thefront plate 0, and the matrices supported in the channel C =1thereofwill in consequence have the thin side walls of their characters 00'disposed out of the path of succeeding matrices entering. the

channel (seeFig. 2); The engaging face cl of the line resistant finger Dis also inclined orslanted sons to stand in a plane perpendicular to theopposite walls of the .assem- ,bler C and thus to present a squarebanking surface to the leading matrix of the composed line. V

7 To compensate for the offset relation 'of' the assembl-erchannel C tothe chute B,

means are provided-for.deflecting the indi vidual matrices edgewise-rearwardly so as .to direct them into said channel as they are.

delivered-thereto. i In the preferred embodiment illustrated, suchmeans'co'mprise beveled surfaces (1 ,0 formed on the front wall C of'theassembler Qhlthough they might be otherwiseformed or located;The'beveled surface (1 (seeFig. .3) is formed on the front retainingpawl C and is adapted to cooper-f atewith the upper projecting ears 00of the matrices, while the beveled surface C is formed'directly on thefront side wall C immediately below the deflecting surface C andis'adaptedto cooperatewith the lower The arran ement-of these beveledsurfaces I a I y u C", 6 ,18 such that, as the individual matrices passendwise from the chute B, their lower projectingears x first engage the-lower bev 'el'ed surface C and then,as the matrices are pushed ahead bythe star wheel E and held downwardly by the horizontal surfaceB of thechute spring'B -their' upper projecting cars a are-caused to engagethe'upperbeveled surface'C 0f the pawl C Both beveled surfaces C C actsubstantially 'conjointly in'defiectirig the individual matricesedgewise rearwardly as they are advanced by the star-wheel. E, whichthus not only furnishes. the-motive power for deflecting the matricesbut which also shoves them forward into the matrix.

cate side walls of matrix characters is thus 7 assembler channel aftertheir deflection or along with it. c As the matrices are stackedsuccessively in line, the retaining pawls C", C snap behind their upperprojecting ears and prevent them from falling out.

It will now be seen that, by reason of the peculiar form and arrangementof the parts, the thin character side walls of the matrices previouslycomposed in the assembler channel C are fully protected from the damageordinarily caused by the impact of the following matrices, and thisin away which will allow the matrices to follow one another into I the linewith consistent regularity and with little danger of clogging theassembling mechanism. In other words, the blow from a thick or heavymatrix descending through the chute B (see Figs. 1 and 2), is absorbedby the preceding matrix as usual but it is struck-at a point forwardlyof the thin side walls of the characters 00. The same is true of all thematrices, but the relatively light blow of the thinner ones will bebroken and almost completely absorbed alone by the bev-' eled surfaces CC To be more explicit, since the projecting ears of all matricesthroughout a font, as is well-known, are generally located at that sideuponwhich the matrices lie during their travel to the assembler, thebodies of the thicker matrices, as they enter the assembler channel Cfootfirst, will strike the preceding matrix of the line before theirlower projecting ears engage the deflecting surfaces C C but due to theoffset relation of the said channel to the line i of delivery, thestriking point will be for ward'and clear of the character side Walls ofthe-last assembled matrix, so that no-damage can resul While it is thesethicker matrices that in practice cause the greatest damage because oftheir excessive weight and the momentum they possess at the time theyenter the assembler, the character side walls of assembled matrices arealso protected from the impact of the thinner matrices, since the lowerprojecting ears of the latter matrices will engage thedeflectingsurit'aces C C, before their body portions (on account ofbeing so thin) strike the last assembled The desired protection of thedelicarried out to the maximum degree and irrespective of thethicknesses of the matrices handled.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: r

1. In a matrix composing machine, the combination of an assemblerpresenting a channel wherein the matrices are composed in line, saidchannel thruout its length having straight parallel sides, means ford-eliver- I ing the matrices successively to the assembler channel, saidchannel being displaced with respect to the line of delivery of thematrices, and means for deflecting the individual are delivered thereto;

3. In 7 a matrix composing machine, the combination of an assemblerhaving straight parallel front'and rear-side walls and longi tudinallycxtending'matrix supporting rails, a chute for delivering the matricessuccessively to the assembler, said assembler and chute having theircenter lines offset with relation to each other so as to position therear wall of the chute forwardly of the straight rear wall" of theassembler,andaneansfor deflecting the matrices edgewise' rearwardly'tofdirect them from the chute into the assembler.

4. I n a matrix composing machine, the

combination of an assembler whereinthe matrices are com osed in lineandresentin inner side walls straight andparallel thru out, a chute fordeliveringzthe matrices sue- 'cessively to the assembler, a channel intowhich the'composed line is transferred from the assembler as a whole,said assembler be; ing inclinedwith respectto a center line common toboth the chute and channel such that the receiving end of the assembleris:

positioned in offset relationto the discharge endoi the chute, and means for deflecting.

its

the individual matrices .edgewise'to direct:

them into the thereto.

5. In a matrix composing machine, the rm,

combination of an a'ssembler having front and rear side walls straightand parallel assembler as they are delivered thruout and longitudinallyextending matrix supporting rails, a chute for delivering the matricessuccessively to the assembler, a channel into which a composed line ofmatrices is transferred from the assembler as a whole, said assemblerbeinginclined rearwardly with respect to a centerline, common to bothchute and channelsuch that the rear.

wall of the assembler at the receiving end thereof is positionedrearwardly of the rear wall of" the chute, andm'eans for deflecting. theindividual matrices edgewise rearwardly to direct them into theassembler as they are delivered thereto. I

6. A combination as specified in claim 5,

characterized by the fact that the deflecting. means therein referred toare constitutedby beveled surfaces located on the front sidewall of theassembler at the receiving end there- 7. In a" matriX composing machine,the combination of an assembler having straight parallel front and rearside walls and longi tudinally extending matrix supporting rails,meansfor delivering the matrices successive ly to the assembler, saidassembler being placed'with respect to the line of delivery of thematrices, and two beveled surfaces located on the front wall of theassembler and ar-.

rangedto cooperate respectively with the upper and lower projecting earsof theindividto. deflect them edgewisev into the assembler as they aredelivered ual matrices so as thereto.

8. A combination as specified in claim 7,

characterized by the factthat the assembler is provided with a matrixretaining pawl'resiliently mounted on the front side wall thereof, andthat one of the beveled surfaces therein referred to is formed on saidpawl and adapted to cooperate with the upper proecting ears of theindividual matrices, while the other'beveledsurface is formeddirectly onsaid Wall and adapted to .cooperatewith i the lower proj ecting'ears ofthe matrices;

ing innerside walls straight and parallel I thruout,-means fordelivering'the matrices successively tothe assembler as a whole,said '85assembler being displaced laterally with re- 9. In a matrix composingmachine, the combination ofzan assembler wherein the matrices arecomposed n line and presentspect tothe'li'nei of delivery of thematrices,

and deflecting members arrangedto c'ooper-f ate respectively with theupper and lower V projecting ears of the individual'matrices so as todirect them edgewise intothe assembler as they are delivered thereto.

1 10. A combination as specified'in claiml), characterized by the factthat the assembler therein recited. is inclined rearwardly in. a

. horizontal direction'so as to displace its receiving end withrespectto the said line of delivery of the matrices, for the purpose de7 scribed.

' 11. In a matrix composing machine, the 'combinationof an assemblingelevator wherein the matrices are composed in line and pre- .-'sentinginner side walls straight andparallei thruout, a chute for deliveringmatrices to said elevator, and a pair of fixed Vertical guidewayswherein the elevator is slidably mounted, said gnidewa-ys being arrangedrespectively at the opposite ends of'the elevatorand positioned indifferentvertical planes so as to locate the receiving end of the as'sembling elevator inoifset relation to the discharge end of the chute,for the purpose de-' scribedJ r V r 12. In a matrix composing machine,the combination of an assembler having'front and rear side walls, achute "for delivering the matrices to the assembler,'said- -a'ssem' blerand chute being ofi'set with relation to each other so as to positionthe rear wall of the chute forwardly'of the rear wall of the Vassembler, a yieldingline resistant finger asof the assembler thereinrecited are straight and parallel but inclined rearwardly toward thereceiving end of the assembler, and that the matrix sustaining face ofthe said line resistant finger is perpendicular to the side walls of theassembler.

14. In a matrix composing machine, the combination of an assemblerwherein the matrices are composed inline, means for delivering thematrices successively to the assembl'er, said-assembler being displacedwith respect to the line of delivery of the matrices,

means for deflecting the individual matrices edgewise to direct theminto the assembler as they are delivered thereto, and meansfor'restrainingthe matrices against forward edge-' wise displacement asthey enter theline'.

15. A combination as specified in claim '1,

including a pair of pawls mounted on the rea e-cave straight parallelside walls ofthe assembler channel for preventing the matrices fromfalling out after they enter the channel. p A combinationas specified inclaim 1, including a chute spring for preventing the upward displacementof the matrices as they enter the assembler channel;

' In testimony whereof, this specification'has been duly signedby: 3

ALFRED w. rfennsrq

